Pay by Bento
Redefining Payroll & HR for Africa
Overview
Challenge
Africa's diverse economic and regulatory landscape presents unique challenges for payroll management. Each country has its own tax regulations, labor laws, and financial systems that businesses must navigate. Traditional payroll solutions often failed to account for these variations, creating inefficiencies and compliance risks. Additionally, many employees across the continent faced financial constraints between paydays, often exhausting their salaries before the next payment cycle. Businesses lacked the infrastructure to offer financial flexibility to their workforce, while employees struggled to maintain their desired quality of life within the constraints of monthly payment cycles. After a year at Bento, I identified several challenges with the existing platform. It had developed numerous loopholes, contained redundant features, and suffered from structural issues with specialized functions like benefits, bonuses, and insurance that didn't align with actual business operations. We also discovered that many businesses operated branches in different countries, requiring support for multiple currencies and payment integrations. Additionally, employees needed access to their employment history, especially those who worked for multiple companies or had side projects. These insights made it clear we needed a comprehensive rebuild to address these shortcomings and better serve both employers and employees.
Solution
As CTO, I led a holistic rebuild of Pay by Bento, beginning with extensive research across multiple African countries. I personally led expansion efforts to Ghana and Rwanda, conducting market research and building local teams to ensure our solution was truly pan-African. My key contributions included product strategy, UX research, information architecture, system design, usability testing, and establishing a cohesive design system. Working with business owners, employees, regulatory bodies and my wonderful Product Team, we translated our research findings into detailed user personas and stories that guided our development process. The comprehensive approach ensured we built a solution that addressed the unique needs of African businesses. The redesigned platform incorporated key functionalities tailored to both business and employee needs and throughout the development process, we implemented rigorous usability testing protocols and verified compliance with the regulatory requirements of each target country. This ensured that the platform not only provided an intuitive user experience but also accurately handled tax calculations, adhered to labor laws, and met reporting obligations. The solution was designed with scalability and adaptability in mind, allowing it to evolve with changing business needs and regulatory environments. We also prioritized cultural sensitivity, ensuring that the platform resonated with diverse user bases across different African countries.
Outcomes
Pay by Bento has become a catalyst for positive change in how businesses manage payroll across Africa. The platform now processes over 6 billion Naira (approximately 4 million dollars) in monthly transaction volume and serves more than 50,000 employees across six African countries. The redesign has delivered several significant benefits. Businesses now enjoy smoother payroll processes, accurate compliance with local regulations, and better employee satisfaction. Employees have gained financial flexibility through access to various financial services, allowing them to better manage their finances between paydays. Through our commitment to continuous improvement and user feedback, we've created a solution that genuinely meets the needs of African businesses and their employees. While we acknowledge that no product is perfect, our approach of building with empathy and love has resulted in a platform that truly empowers employers with the right tools to serve their employees, while enabling employees to do more with their salaries and focus on living better, more fulfilling lives. Perhaps most importantly, Pay by Bento has contributed to greater financial inclusivity across the continent by adapting to various infrastructures and payment methods, making modern payroll and financial services accessible to a broader range of businesses and employees.
